Jan 11, 2013

A constitutional expert believes that if President Barack Obama resorts to executive orders to implement gun restrictions, as he is considering, it might backfire.

It does not surprise Mat Staver, founder of Liberty Counsel, that the president would consider executive action to pass serious gun control measures, as he does not believe there is a chance Congress will agree to what Obama is pushing for. But if the president does move in that direction, Staver believes he will overplay his hand.

Obama Executive Orders on Guns Would Spark 'Pushback' from the American People

"I think this is not one that he wants to overstep on because I think this will make so many gun owners in America upset to the point that he could have a catastrophe on his hands that he's not prepared for," the attorney suggests.

"I think there'll be a huge pushback against the president and any executive action to take away people's rights under the Second Amendment."

While the action could lead to lawsuits, Staver says it will mostly involve a pushback from the American people.

"I don't think the gun owners of America and those who are in favor of our liberties and the Second Amendment are going to stand for the president taking away their rights," Staver contends. "They're not going to allow one individual through the signing of an executive order to literally nullify the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms."

The Liberty Counsel founder points to history, particularly when the king of England repeatedly made decisions to override the people of America. The result was the American Revolution and independence.

Before meeting yesterday with gun owners groups, including the National Rifle Association, Vice President Joe Biden declared that "the president is going to act." Other administration officials, sportsmen, wildlife interest groups and people from the entertainment industry were also present at the meetings, lasting through today. NRA president David Keene stated afterwards that he saw little common ground with the White House at those meetings, saying the administration was merely "checking the box" that gun advocates were invited.

The vice president also met with victims of gun violence and advocates of gun control, claiming that he wanted to hear from "all parties, on whatever side of this debate you fall."

According to the Associated Press, Biden's task force is weighing recommendations like making gun trafficking a felony, getting the Justice Department to prosecute people caught lying on gun background check forms, and ordering federal agencies to send data to the National Gun Background Check Database.